With 100% English Ancestry, I thought it might be really difficult to trace my ancestors back in England from Canada. Only my mother, her father and his mother were born in Canada. This Blog will talk about researching my English ancestors from Canada but also the ancestors of our son in law whose families stretch back far into Colonial French Canada. My one name study of Blake and of Pincombe also dominate my blog these days.

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Nicholas Blake testator in this will mentions a number of his relatives and their children which is always helpful. One of his brothers is Stephen (deceased) with sons Edmond, Nicholas and Stephen and daughter Elizabeth Hatherill (widow). He also mentions a Nicholas Blake his kinsman of Wootton Rivers who also has a son Nicholas. I wonder what manors were at Wootton Rivers and whether Nicholas Blake can be tracked in the manor papers. He isn't wealthy but he is a yeoman. He also mentions another cousin Katherine Edington.

Since his brother in law is Geoffrey Winter, perhaps his wife was Elizabeth Winter.

Wootton Rivers is 16 miles NW of Andover Hampshire, 19 miles NNE of South Newton, and 14 miles ESE of Calne. A rather interesting spot to be in roughly half way between Calne and Andover.

There is a will for Jeffery Wynter/Winter yeoman of Wootton Rivers probated 3 Feb 1620 which might prove interesting for this family.

The entry that I am finding that might be interesting for this Blake family at Wootton Rivers is labeled Ludgershall (Wootton Rivers is 9 miles NNW of Ludgershall). There is a burial for Katherine Edington at Ludgershall 24 Jul 1644 (wife of Edward Edington).

There is a baptism for Elizabeth Blake daughter of Steven Blake at Warminster (Saint Denys 22 Apr 1609 C15334-2 Family Search) which might seem rather distant at 23 miles WSW of Wootton Rivers.

1 In the name of God Amen
2 the last day of October in the yeare of our Lord God one thousand sixe hundred
3 and fourtie I Nicholas Blake of Wotton Rivers in the Countie of Wilts[hire] yeom[an]
4 considering the uncerteinty of this mortall life doe ordaine and make my last
5 will and testament as followeth Viz[a vi]t First and principally I committ my soule
6 into the hands of Allmighty God and my bodie to be buried in the church of
7 Milton Livornye after this life ended to enioye life everlastinge in heaven And as touching
8 such transitorie goods as it hath pleased god of his goodnes to endowe mee with all I doe
9 leave devise will and bequeath them as herein is hereafter sett donne and appointed and
10 That is to say First I give devise will and bequeath to my parish church of Wotton
11 Rivers Twentie shillings And I give to bee distributed to the poore of that parish att
12 the tyme of my funerall Twenty shillings Item I give to the parish church of Milton
13 aforesaid Twenty shillings And to the poore people of that parish Twenty shillings Item
14 I give unto Edmond Blake the sonne of my deceased brother Stephen Blake thirty pounds
15 in money) Item I doe give unto Edmond Blake and Stephen Blake the sonnes of
16 the said Edmond Blake fourtie pounds to bee delivered to my overseers within one
17 yeare next after my decease to be ymploied by my said overseers to the uses of the said Edmond
18 and Stephen untill they shall bee of the ages of one and twentie years and then to
19 bee paid to them or the survivor of them with the encrease thereof Provided nevertheles
20 that yf both of them shall die before theire ages of one and twentie years then the s[ai]d
21 fourtie pounds with the encrease thereof shall bee paid to the executors or administrators
22 of the survivor of them within one yeare after the decease of the survivor of them the said
23 Edmond and Stephen Item my Will is that within one yeare next after my decease the
24 somme of Thirtie pounds shall bee devided into the hands of my overseers the p[ro]fitt
25 whereof arisenge shall bee yearly paid unto Nicholas Blake sonne of the said Stephen
26 Blake deceased duringe the life of the same Nicholas and after his decease the same am[ount]
27 Thirty pounds to bee equally devided and paid unto such of the nowe children of the same
28 Nicholas as shall be then livinge Item I give unto Elizabeth Hatherill widdowe daughter
29 of the said Stephen Blake deceased fyve pounds in money Item I give unto John day
30 the sonne of John day of Berwicke the somme of sixe pounds to bee delivered to
31 his father to the use of the said John the sonne Item I give unto Robert day the
32 sonne of Edmond day the somme of sixe pounds to bee delivered to the said Edmond
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33 to the use of the said Robert Item I give to Nicholas Blake the sonne of Nicholas Blake
34 of Wotton Rivers my kinsman fourtie pounds to be delivered to my overseers to his use And
35 to bee paid to him with the increase thereof at his age of eighteene years And If hee
36 die before his said age then the same to remayneth his executors or administrators And to bee
37 paid within on yeare next after his decease Item I give unto George Stagg the sonne
38 of Lawrence Stagge sixe pounds to be delivered to his use into the hands of the said Lawrence Stagg
39 and unto James Stagg sonne of the said Lawrence Stagg I give the somme of fowre
40 pounds to be dleivered to his use to the said Lawrence Item I give unto Jeoffery Winter
41 the sonne of Jeoffry Winter my brother in lawe five pounds to be paid to the father to
42 the sonnes use Item I give to Elizabeth Whitehart daughter of Geoffery Whithart
43 fourtie shillings to bee paid to her father to her use And I doe make and ordaine Elizabeth my Wife
44 the executrix of this my last will and testament giveing her to that purpose all my goods
45 and chattles And I doe appointe and desir the said Lawrence Stagg And Edmond
46 Day to bee the overseers of this my Will and testament and in token of my love I doe
47 give to everie of them twentie shillings a peece Item I give to Katherin Edington
48 my cosen fower pounds in money Nicholas Blake Witnesses hereunto Thomas
49 Bennett notary publique and William Smith